Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Jantjies stars as Lions advance along Easy Street

Lions fly-half Elton Jantjies

Elton Jantjies played a starring role as Lions extended their Super Rugby winning streak to nine matches with a 51-14 mauling of Bulls.

ADVERTISEMENT

Springbok fly-half Jantjies provided 16 points and was at the heart of Lions’ play as they ran in seven tries for a bonus-point victory.

Ruan Combrinck opened the scoring in the second minute and doubled his tally at the end of the first half, adding to efforts from Kwagga Smith, Ruan Dreyer and captain Warren Whiteley.

Jan Serfontein and Jesse Kriel got on the board for Bulls, but Franco Mostert’s try three minutes after the restart scuppered their hopes of a comeback.

Lions controlled the rest of the match, but did not add to their score until Lionel Mapoe touched down and Jantjies had the final say, adding the extras with the last kick of the game.

Southern Kings fell to a first defeat in four as Brumbies rallied to a 19-10 victory with two unanswered second-half tries.

Josh Mann-Rea responded to an early penalty try awarded to the Kings, but a missed conversion and a Lionel Cronje penalty gave the South Africa franchise a five-point lead at the break.

ADVERTISEMENT

But Aidan Toua and Tom Banks ran in scores within seven minutes of one another and Wharenui Hawera converted both as Brumbies ended a run of four straight losses.

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

N
Nickers 17 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

41 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Mick Cleary: 'Borthwick needs to have faith in Marcus Smith' Mick Cleary: 'Borthwick needs to have faith in Marcus Smith'
Search